EMPIRE SUPER SPRINTS AND HUGE FIREWORKS DISPLAY JOIN REGULAR PROGRAM THIS SUNDAY AT UTICA-ROME SPEEDWAY
VERNON, NY- Every year, Independence Day Weekend is considered the halfway point of the season at the Utica-Rome Speedway and this Sunday July 5 an action packed program will kick off the second half of the season in grand fashion. The Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints (ESS) will join the Modifieds, Sportsman, Pro Stocks, and Pure Stocks for their annual holiday pilgrimage to the “Action Track of the East”. A huge fireworks display will cap off the evening’s activities in celebration of our country’s independence. The gates swing open at 2:30 p.m. with racing starting at 5 p.m.
The Modified division has been extremely competitive so far this season, with nine different winners in eleven events. Defending track champion Pat Ward (2 wins) is again the point leader by just 12 points over Stewart Friesen (2 wins), with Todd Burley (1 win), Bobby Varin (2 wins), and Willy Decker (1 win) rounding out the top five positions. Filling out the top ten is Ronnie Johnson, Jack Johnson (1 win), Mitch Gibbs (1 win), Jamie Christian, and Danny Varin. Will another driver add their name to the 209 win list or will one the weekly favorites collect another $2,000 victory Join us Sunday to find out the answer in what should prove to be another competitive event.
During their last visit on Memorial Day Weekend, the stars and cars of ESS converged on the Vernon half mile, and when the dust settled, Jessica Zemken stood in victory lane after a bold move in the final turn gave her the popular win. Zemken is expected back in competition this weekend in search of another $2,000 win along with ESS stars Lance Yonge, Justin Barger, Steve Poirier, Tommy Wickham, Chuck Hebing, Jeff Cook, Tim Kelly, Michael Parent, Brian McDonald, Alain Bergeron, and many more. Complete information on the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints can be found at www.empiresupersprints.com.
Sportsman competition so far this year has had Jason Rood in victory lane four times and leading the point standings over Steve Way, Jeff Leslie, Matt Janczuk, and Jeremy Vunk.
Tom Denton is atop the Pro Stock standings on the strength of three wins nine top fives, ahead of Rocky Warner, Bret Belden, Bill Knapp, and Shawn Frost.
Thanks to four wins, Ron Hawker is the point leader in the Pure Stocks with just a two point edge over defending champion Chris Carr, Frank Hyatt, Bill Mason, and Chris Cunningham.
Utica-Rome Speedway is located just minutes from the New York State Thruway, on Route 5 in the village of Vernon.
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BOBBY VARIN TAKES BORROWED CAR TO “THUNDER” VICTORY AT
UTICA-ROME SPEEDWAY
VERNON, NY- Bobby Varin has dominated the Fonda Speedway in 2009 and on Sunday night at the Utica-Rome Speedway he showed that brilliance as he came from the 18th starting position to win the first event of the “Thunder on the Thruway” series between Fonda and Utica-Rome.
Varin won the 50-lap $5,000 to win event presented by Park’s Trucking and Paving and Luther’s Excavating in a car borrowed from his son after his new car blew a water pump gasket in hot laps.
“I got to thanks to my son because he gave me his car to run tonight,” stated Varin, of Sharon Springs, N.Y., after the win. “Dan’s (Varin) is the best kid in the world I couldn’t ask for a better son. He lets me drive his race car. What more could you ask for?"
Michael Storms and Stewart Friesen led the 24 car to the green flag but it was Pat Ward gaining the lead from his third starting position.
Ward lost the lead momentarily on lap two when Jeff Trombley passed him on the inside of turn two. Trombley led until turn three when he got into a marker tire on the bottom of turn three to break the front end. Ward made slight contact with him but he was able to continue.
Action got back underway with Ward the race leader with Stewart Friesen and Todd Burley running right behind him.
Ward lead at the halfway point with Varin now inside the top five with his borrowed Bicknell mount. He was slowing closing in on the top four.
Varin moved into the runner-up position when he got by Friesen on the 23rd circuit and began to track down Ward.
Five laps later on lap 28, Friesen brought out the caution when he lost the drive line on his No.1 sending him to the pits on the hook and taking away the three second advantage that Ward had held prior to the caution.
On the restart Ward led with Varin running in tow. The two battled with Ward protecting the bottom and Varin ultimately forced to go the outside.
From lap 33 on Varin challenged Ward on the high-side and he finally took the lead outside of turns one and two five laps later.
“In the feature Pat (Ward) doesn’t make any mistakes,” stated Varin. “You’ve been watching him long enough and these fans have been watching him long enough to know that he doesn’t mess up. I knew I wasn’t going to get him on the bottom so I had to go to the top.”
Upon taking the race lead, Varin immediately moved back to the inside lane to protect the top position.
At the line it was Varin taking the win, with Ward settling for a second place finish in his Bicknell after battling an ill handling race car because of the contact with Trombley early in the feature.
“Bobby (Varin) had her hooked up pretty good,” stated Ward after the event. “(Jeff) Trombley got the tire and spun in front of me. I got into him and bent all the radius rods in the front. I don’t think it matter Bobby (Varin) was rotating through the turns better than us.”
Ronnie Johnson came from the tenth staring position with his Teo Pro car to finish in third. He was gaining on the top two near the end of the race.
“At the end of the race this car seems to come on,” said Johnson. “Who knows, I don’t know if we had anything for Bobby (Varin) but I’m happy with a third place finish.”
Mitch Gibbs, of North Norwich finished in fourth while Todd Burley, of Spencerport, N.Y., finished in fifth.
The Sportsman Best of Three series event only went 14 laps due to Mother Nature with Jason Rood claiming the win over Matt Janczuk and Mark Kislowski.
At the start, Rood and Janczuk raced together from their front row starting positions into turn one. Janczuk gained the advantage over Rood.
Those two were battling for the top spot when Kislowski tucked to the inside turns one and two to take the lead on lap six.
His lead was short lived as Rood and Janczuk made a daring three wide pass for the lead with Rood gaining the advantage on lap nine.
Those two swapped the lead numerous times in the next five laps with Rood earning the checkered flag in the rain shortened event.
Janczuk, of Sherrill, N.Y., finished in second with Steve Way getting third. Kislowski held on to finish in fourth while Roger West completed the top five.
Next week’s action will see the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints in their second appearance of the season being presented by Gates-Cole Associates. Modifieds, Sportsman, Pro Stocks and Pure Stocks join the card along with a huge fireworks display. Racing gets underway at 5pm. For more information visit our website at www.uticaromespeedway.com. The Utica-Rome Speedway is located on route west of Utica and East of Vernon, N.Y.
PARK’S TRUCKING & PAVING AND LUTHER’S EXCAVATING RACE SUMMARY
MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH (50 LAPS) - BOBBY VARIN, Pat Ward, Ronnie Johnson, Mitch Gibbs, Todd Burley, Jim Davis, Paul Kinney, Willy Decker, Brett Hearn, Danny Varin, Michael Storms, Jamie Christian, Paul Jensen, Dave Rauscher, Matt DeLorenzo, AJ Romano, Brad Alger, Jeremy Wilder, Mike Ricci, Stewart Friesen, Jack Johnson, Tim Mayne, Brian Weaver, Jeff Trombley. DNQ- Ted Lamb, Tim Fuller, Elmo Reckner, Mike Ward, Brad Godshalk, Craig Hanson, Casey Williams, Jeff Kotary, Howard Gage, Bob Henry, Alan Barker, Ken McGuire, Darwin Greene, Ryan Odasz, John Ramsey.
SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (14 LAPS) - Jason Rood, Matt Janczuk, Steve Way, Mark Kislowski, Roger West, Mike Button, David Towns, John DeForest, Jeremy Vunk, Craig Pope, Jason Memerick, Luke Monroe, Glenn Forward, Claude Hutchings Jr., AJ Filbeck, Jim Rothwell, Mark Mortensen, Jamie Yankowski, Michael Teachout, Aaron Jacobs, Jeff Leslie.
PRO STOCK FEATURE – July 12th Make-up Date
PURE STOCK FEATURE – July 19th Make-up Date
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Prices this week
$20.00 ADULTS
$18.00 STUDENTS
UNDER 9 FREE
Attention Drivers
July 12th Is Autograph Night
Regular show prices
General Admission: Adults $12.00 Students and Seniors $10.00 Under 9 Free
Season Pit Pass : $400.00
General Admission Season Pass : $250.00
Reserved Seat Season Pass : $40.00
IMPORTANT: ALL SEASON PASSES EXCLUDE THE VICTORIA 200, THE NEW YORKER 200 AND THE LUCAS OIL LATE MODELS.
All media credential's must be requested in advance of any show.
Regular Weekly
Modified purse for 2009
1- $2,000
2- $1,200
3- $800
4- $600
5- $500
6- $400
7- $350
8- $300
9- $275
10-$250
11-$225
12-$215
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13-$205
14-$195
15-$185
16-$175
17-$165
18-$155
19-$150
20-$150
21-$150
22-$150
23-$150
24-$150
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Total-$9,095
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Gift Certificates Available!
315-822-6336 ask for Connie
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